Amanda Christian is thankful for the private bus company her family relied on, but happy to see the district restore service.

“It was about $80 a month, which can get costly over the course of a year, so, yeah we’re very lucky to have Lakota service back,” Christian said.

Lakota is now providing bus service for students in grades 2-6 who live more than one mile away from their school. Previously the cut-off was 2 miles.

The expanded service is the result of a November levy that was approved by voters. The cost of the new bus service is $1.2 million, as spelled out to voters.

In a lot of ways, Monday was like the first day of school, with the expected problems.

Tony Ferrone drove his son and a neighbor to school this morning after giving up on the Lakota bus. A bus came through the neighborhood about 10 minutes before their pick-up time, and Eerrone believes it was their bus.

The district acknowledges there may have been some first day problems.

“There’s people not necessarily where they expected the bus to be, but we’re working through those,” said Lakota schools spokesman Randy Oppenheimer. He said he expects the wrinkles to be ironed out by later this week.

FOR MANY PARENTS IN THE LAKOTA SCHOOL DISTRICT, THE MORNING ROUTINE OF GETTING KIDS TO SCHOOL GOT EASIER TODAY. THEIR KIDS CAN NOW RIDE THE BUS! THE DISTRICT RESTORED BUS SERVICE ... TO THOUSANDS OF KIDS, THANKS TO A VOTER-APPROVED LEVY. WLWT NEWS FIVE'S ANDREW SETTERS WAS "ON THE BUS ROUTE THIS MORNING THERE WERE SOME FIRST DAY JITTERS, MIXED WITH A LOT OF EXCITEMENT. (Grace Wheeler) ("Awesome.") GRACE WHEELER AND OTHER KIDS HEADED TO FREEDOM ELEMENTARY WERE READY AND WAITING THIS MORNING. PARENTS WERE TOO. (Amanda Christian, Lakota Parent) ("It's a good feeling, because we no longer have to pay for the supplemental bus service.") AMANDA CHRISTIAN MADE SURE HER SON JADEN GOT ON THE RIGHT BUS TODAY. HE'S NO STRANGER TO THE BUS, BUT HIS PARENTS HAD BEEN PAYING FOR A PRIVATE BUS SERVICE TO GET HIM TO SCHOOL. (Amanda Christian, Lakota Parent) ("It was about 80 dollars a month, which can get costly over the course of a year, so, yeah we're very lucky to have Lakota service back.") (Tony Ferrone, Lakota Parent) ("We were here for the bus, but it seems like they've already come through.") TONY FERRONE DROVE HIS SON AND A NEIGHBOR TO SCHOOL TODAY, BECAUSE THEIR BUS DID NOT MAKE IT ON TIME. THEY THINK IT MAY HAVE COME EARLY. (Andrew Setters) ("The district is happy to be able to offer more bus service, but they say there are a few wrinkles that need to be worked out.") (Randy Oppenhemier, Lakota Schools) ("There's first day confusion - there always is. It's like the first day of school. There's people not necessarily where they expected the bus to be, but we're working through those. It will smooth out during the week.") EVEN THOUGH IT'S FEBRUARY - IN A LOT OF WAYS, TODAY WAS LIKE THE FIRST DAY OF SCHOOL AND NOT JUST FOR THE KIDS. ADDING BUSING FOR 22-HUNDRED STUDENTS WASN'T AS SIMPLE AS ADDING ROUTES - THEY HAD TO HIRE NEW DRIVERS TOO. FROM WEST CHESTER, ANDREW SETTERS, WLWT NEWS FIVE. THE PRICE TAG FOR THE EXPANDED BUS SERVICE IS ABOUT 1-POINT-2 MILLION DOLLARS. JUNIOR HIGH BUS SERVICE.... IS STILL LIMITED.... AND HIGH SCHOOL STUDENTS.... STILL DON'T HAVE BUS SERVICE.

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